1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an internal antenna module and a wireless communication apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the rapid advances in information-communication technology, wireless communication apparatuses providing various services to users through wireless data communication have been widely deployed. Examples of such devices are a PCS (Personal Communication Service), a DCS (Digital Cellular System), GPS (Global Positioning System), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a cellular phone, a Smart Phone, a laptop computer, and a palmtop computer. The wireless communication apparatus is gradually miniaturized, lightweight, and thin, and the variety of functions thereof must meet the needs of customers.
Generally two types of antennas may be used as an element of a wireless communication apparatus to improve transceiver sensitivity. A road or whip external antenna, which protrudes from the wireless communication apparatus by a preset length, is one type of antenna that is used. However, such external antennas are very fragile, have a poor design and inferior portability. Therefore, built-in antennas, so-called internal antennas, which are mounted in the wireless communication apparatus, are also used.
FIG. 1 (represented as FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1(b)) illustrates a general internal antenna module, wherein FIG. 1(a) illustrates a carrier 10 mounted on a main board (not shown) of a wireless communication apparatus and FIG. 1(b) illustrates an antenna module including a plate-shaped radiator 20 installed on a surface of the carrier 10.
A carrier 10 provides a preset gap between a main board, that is, a Radio Frequency (RF) board, and the radiator 20 to achieve a desired radiation performance and serves as a supporting member protecting the radiator 20 from an external impact and mitigating the effect of such an impact. The radiator 20 is made of a metal plate and is attached to a surface of the carrier 10.
The carrier 10 is coupled with the radiator 20 in such a way that a plurality of protrusions 11 of the carrier 10 is inserted into a plurality of holes 21 of the radiator 20 and is thermally welded.
When a surface of the carrier 10 is closely attached to the radiator 20, since the carrier 10 has a permittivity of 2.8 to 3, three times that of air, an efficiency of the radiator 20 is deteriorated and, thus, it is difficult to guarantee a desired radiation performance of an antenna module.